Ameri-CAN Canned Beer Festival 2014, is in the books!

This past weekend, marked the 4th Annual Ameri-can Canned Beer Festival, held in Scottsdale. This

year, some 80 breweries were pouring 250 different beers. This year, it was a hot one, but that didn't seem to dampen the spirits of any of the festival attendees.

 

As is always the case, this event was just awesome! This remains my favorite beer festival in Arizona. I've said it before, but I will say it again, this festival has everything that I love about beer, in one awesome event. Great weather (104 isn't that bad for Arizona), great beer, knowledgeable folks pouring the beer, great people enjoying the beer, live music, great food, reasonable lines to get beer (no long waits), cigars, lots of cleavage (one advantage to the 104 degree temps!), shade trees, green grass, smells, sounds, and sites that are just wonderful. Here, take a look at some of the sites the Ameri-can Canned Beer festival had to offer this year.....

 

 

 

Some of the stand out brews I had that day (but not all of them), as far as tasting went are this....

 

Come Hell or High Watermelon, 21st Amendment Brewing Company, San Francisco, CA

EOS Hefeweizen, Nebraska Brewing Company, Papillion, NE

Brown Ale, Upslope Brewing Company, Boulder, CO

Snake River Pale Ale, Snake River Brewing Com., Jackson, WY

El Hefe Speaks, DC Brau Brewing Com, Washington, DC

 

 And, of coarse, I had to have a taste of my old favorite, Bells Oberon. Wouldn't be a summer beer festival without an Oberon if you ask me!

 

Again, if you didn't make it this year, make a note to  yourself, and make sure you take this festival in next year. Its a great time. Not a pinky up, snob fest, and not a drunken frat party either. This is a perfect festival for someone that might be new to craft beer, just a casual beer fan, or even the most hard core beer geek, this festival has something for everyone.

 

My hat is off to SanTan Brewing Company to putting on such a great event yet again, and special thanks to Landon, Jen and all the fine folks at HDE Agency for putting this together. You guys really do know how to throw an AWESOME beer festival. Thanks for all you've done!

 As soon as I get a date for next years festival, trust me, I will let you know!! I am already looking forward to it!

 

Until next time

Bottoms up my friends!

 

The Beer Czar

The Offical list of beers for tomorrows AmeriCAN Canned Beer Festival!

OK folks, tomorrow is the big day, the 4th Annual AmeriCAN Canned Beer Festival! And look what I just got, the official list of brewers attending, and the beers they will be pouring! 80 local brews will help make up over 250 beers for you to  sample!

If you need further info on the event, click the link here.....

New Breweries
Alaskan Brewing

• Alaskan Amber
• Alaskan Freeride APA

Angry Orchard

• Crisp Apple
• Ginger

Armadillo Ale Works

• Greenbelt Farmhouse Ale

Australian

• Pale Ale
• Pilsner

Avery

• Ellie’s Brown Ale
• White Rascal
• Joe’s Pilsner
• IPA

Ballast Point

• Sculpin IPA
• Longfin Lager
• Big Eye IPA

Barrio

• Blonde
• Rojo
• Blanco

Bell’s

• Oberon Ale
• Two Hearted Ale

Black Market

• Hefeweizen
• Aftermath Pale Ale
• Rye IPA

Black Tooth

• Bomber Mountain Amber
• Saddle Bronc Brown
• Indian Paintbrush Ale
• Wagon Box Wheat

Cedar Creek

• Lawn Ranger
• Scruffy’s
• Dankosaurus

Deep Ellum

• IPA
• Pale Ale
• Double Brown Stout
• Dreamcrusher
• Dallas Blonde

Destihl

• Abbey’s Single
• Hoperation Overload

Dog Tag

• Lager
• IPA

Epic

• Escape to Colorado IPA
• Hop Syndrome Pils Lager

Founders

• All Day IPA

Griffin Claw

• Norm’s Raggedy Ass IPA
• El Rojo Red Ale
• Grind Line Pale Ale
• Grand Trunk Bohemian Pilsner

Guinness

• Stout
• Black Lager
• Red Stripe

Hangar 24

• Orange Wheat
• Helles Lager

Hops & Grains

• Pale Dog
• ALT-eration
• The One They Call Zoe
• Greenhouse IPS

Johnny Appleseed Cider

• Hard Apple Cider

Mike Hess

• Grazias
• Habitus
• Claritas
• Jucundus
• Solis IPA

Nebraska

• Cardinal Pale Ale
• IPA
• EOS Hefeweizen
• Brunette Nut Brown Ale

Redstone Meadery

• Nectar of the Hops
• Sunshine Black Raspberry

Rogue

• American Amber

Twisted Tea

• Original
• Lemonade

Uncharted Cider

• Smith & Forge Hard Cider

Upslope

• Belgian Style Pale Ale

Utah Brewers Cooperative

• Wasatch Apricot Wheat
• Squatters Hop Rising
• Squatters Full Suspension Pale Ale
• Wasatch Ghostrider IPA

Wild Cider

• Apple
• Pineapple
• Berry

Returning Breweries
21st Amendment

• Brew Free! Or Die
• Back in Black
• Bitter American
• Hell or High Watermelon
• Sneak Attack Saison
• Monk’s Blood

Abita

• Amber
• Purple Haze
• Jockoma IPA

Anderson Valley

• Hop Ottin’ IPA
• Boont Amber Ale
• Summer Solstice

Austin Beerworks

• Black Thunder
• Fire Eagle
• Peacemaker
• Pearl Snap
• Heavy Machinery Half IPA
• Heavy Machinery Double IPA

Big Sky

• Moose Drool
• Summer Honey
• Scape Goat
• Trout Slayer
• IPA

Blue Moon

• Belgian White
• Summer Honey Wheat
• Agave Blonde Ale

Bohemian

• 1842 Czech Pilsner
• Viennese Amber Lager
• Cherny Bock

Boulder Beer

• Hazed & Infused

Breckenridge

• Lucky U IPA
• SummerBright Ale
• Avalanche
• Agave Wheat

DC Brau

• Public Pale Ale
• Corruption India Ale
• On the Wings of Armageddon
• Penn Quarter Porter
• El Hefe Speaks
• The Tradition

Fort George

• 1811 Lager
• Quick Wit
• Suicide Squeeze
• Vortex IPA

Four Peaks

• Hop Knot
• Kilt Lifter
• Sunbru
• Peach Ale
• 8^th Street Ale

GoodLife

• Descender IPA
• Sweet As Pacific Ale

Goose Island

• 312 Urban Wheat
• 312 Urban Pale Ale

Grand Canyon

• White Water Wheat
• American Pilsner
• Black Iron IPA
• Sunset Amber Ale

Joseph James

• Ho Box Imperial India Pale Ale
• American Lager
• Fox Tail Gluten Free Pale Ale

Kona

• Longboard Lager

Leinenkugel

• Summer Shandy
• Orange Shandy
• Lemon Berry Shandy

Lumberyard

• IPA
• Red Ale
• Knotty Pine Pale Ale

Marble

• Pilsner
• IPA

Maui

• Bikini Blonde Lager
• Big Swell IPA
• Mana Wheat
• CocoNut PorTer
• Lahaina Town Brown

Mudshark

• Full Moon Belgian White Ale
• Desert Magic IPA
• Up River Light

New Belgium

• Fat Tire
• Ranger
• Snapshot
• Shift

NOLA

• Blonde Ale
• Brown Ale
• Hopitoulas
• Mechahopzilla
• Irish Channel Stout

Oskar Blues

• Dale’s Pale Ale
• Mama’s Little Yella Pils
• Old Chub Scotch Ale
• Deviant Dale’s IPA
• G’Knight Imperial Red IPA
• Gubna Imperial IPA

Prescott

• Ponderosa IPA
• Liquid Amber Ale

Redhook

• Longhammer IPA

Sam Adams

• Boston Lager
• Summer Ale

Santa Fe

• Happy Camper IPA
• Imperial Java Stout
• Irish Red Ale
• Freestyle Pilsner
• Black IPA

SanTan

• Devil’s Ale
• HopShock IPA
• Hefeweizen
• Mr. Pineapple
• SunSpot Gold

Shock Top

• Belgium White
• Honeycrisp Apple Wheat
• Lemon Shandy

Sierra Nevada

• Pale Ale
• Torpedo
• Summerfest

Ska

• Modus Hoperandi
• Mexican Logger
• ESB
• True Blonde

Snake River

• Pale Ale
• Pako’s Eye-P-A
• Zonker Stout
• Lager
• OB-1
• Monarch Pilsner

Sun King

• Sunlight Cream Ale
• Wee Mac Scottish Ale
• Osiris Pale Ale
• Fistful of Hops
• Ring of Dingle
• Indian’s Lager

TailGate Beer

• Blacktop Blonde

Tallgrass

• Buffalo Sweat
• Halcyon Unfiltered Wheat
• 8-Bit Pale Ale
• Ethos IPA
• Velvet Rooster

Two Brothers

• Dog Days
• SideKick
• Outlaw

Uinta

• Hop Nosh IPA
• Wyld Pale Ale
• Ba Ba Black Lager

Widmer

• TBD

Woodchuck

• Amber

So, I will see you tomorrow!

Until next time
Bottoms up my friends!

The Beer Czar

Medal Winners for AmeriCAN Canned Beer Festival!!

This years 4th Annual Ameri-CAN Canned Beer Festival is right around the corner (this Saturday!). They just announced the winners for this years competition! Here is the list of the winners (check out all the Arizona Beers!!! Nice work Arizona!) (click here for all the Festival Info!)

You can watch the winners being announced here.....(or go below the video to see them listed).

2014">http://vimeo.com/94791981">2014 Ameri-Can Canned Craft Beer Fest Judging

from RealVu">http://vimeo.com/realvufilms">RealVu Films LLC on Vimeo.https://vimeo.com">Vimeo.>

 



India Pale Ale

Gold:  Modus, Ska Brewing
Silver:  Happy Camper IPA, Santa Fe Brewing
Bronze:  Solis IPA, Mike Hess Brewing

American Pale Ale
Gold:  Lumberyard IPA, Lumberyard Brewing
Silver:  Knotty Pine, Lumberyard Brewing
Bronze:  Hop Knot, Four Peaks Brewing

English Pale Ale
Gold:  Lumberyard Red Ale, Lumberyard Brewing
Silver:  ESB, Ska Brewing
Bronze:  8^th Street Pale Ale, Four Peaks Brewing

Wheat Ale
Gold:  Hefeweizen, SanTan Brewing
Silver:  El Hefe Speaks, DC Brau Brewing
Bronze: EOS Hefeweizen, Nebraska Brewing

Stout & Porter
Gold:  Double Brown Stout, Deep Ellum Brewing
Silver:  Penn Quarter Porter, DC Brau Brewing
Bronze:  Buffalo Sweat, Tallgrass Brewing

Amber & Brown
Gold: G’Kights, Oskar Blues Brewing
Silver:  Kilt Lifter, Four Peaks Brewing
Bronze:  OB-1, Snake River Brewing

Gold / Blonde / Pilsner & Light Lager

Gold:  Claritas, Mike Hess Brewing
Silver:  The Tradition, DC Brau Brewing
Bronze:  Trout Slayer, Big Sky Brewing

Fruit Beer
Gold: Summer Solstice, Anderson Valley
Silver:  Mr. Pineapple, SanTan Brewing
Bronze: Hell or High Watermelon, 21^st Amendment Brewery

Specialty Beer
Gold: Black Thunder, Austin Beerworks
Silver: Monk’s Blood, 21^st Amendment Brewery
Bronze: Rye IPA, Black Market Brewing


Congrats to all the winners!!!


This years festival is just a few days away! If you are still trying to figure out transpiration, check out this smoking deal from Hoppymoto himself at Arizona Brewery Tours, let him worry about the driving, and get yourself a little something extra at the festival! Check out his deal here.....

 

 Hope to see you all there! If you see me there, please, come up and introduce yourself, I would love to meet you!

See you Saturday!

Until then
Bottoms up my friends!

The Beer Czar!

Its that time of year again, for AmeriCAN!!!

The sun is staying up longer, the days are getting warmer (ok, hotter), the shelves are being vacated of heavy, dark winters beers, and being replaced with lighter, crisp summer ales. What does this mean? Its beer festival season here in Arizona, and when I think beer festivals in Arizona, one comes to my mind immediately. No, not Strong Beer Festival (that is my second favorite), no, I am talking about the 4th Annual AmeriCAN Canned Beer Festival! Coming May 17th!

Why is this my favorite festival? Well, I think this festival combines everything that I love about beer, and beer festivals. Its fun, there is a lot of great beer to be had, beer we can't get here in Arizona, great location, entertainment, food, you name it. This festival lacks the sort of 'frat boy" good time drunk fest that plagues a lot of festivals, but also lacks the sort of "pinky up, they only made 1 gallon of this, lets spend 45 minutes arguing about what style this is" sort of over serious, beer geekiness that tends to drag down some other festivals (in my humble opinion). This festival is a perfect combo of all that is right with beer. There is some great beer to be had, but you can also dance to live music. You can chat with brewers you've only seen pictures of, yet you still might catch a glimpse of a borderline inappropriately displayed set of cleavage squeezed into a low cut tank top. Sure you may see some folks stumbling around that have had a few too many (I've never been to a beer festival that I didn't see that), but you can also meet and chat with other like minded beer fans that you normally wouldn't get a chance to meet.

Good look at the venue...

Plus, the venue (held outside on the grounds of the Scottsdale Civic Center)  for this festival is just about perfect, lots of sun, and lots of shade, easy to navigate, plenty of room and doesn't ever really feel crowded, no matter how crowded it is.


 Ok, those are just a few of my thoughts on why this is not just a great beer event, but just a great event period. If that isn't enough to get your ass to this festival, how about a look at the brewers that will be in attendances.....check this out.


Breweries new to the festival this year....
Alaskan Brewing
Angry Orchard
Armadillo Ale Works
Australian
Avery
Ballast Point
Barrio
Bell’s
Black Market
Black Tooth
Cedar Creek
Deep Ellum
Destihl
Dog Tag
Epic
Founders
Griffin Claw
Guinness
Hangar 24
Hops & Grains
Johnny Appleseed Cider
Mike Hess
Nebraska
Redstone Meadery
Rogue
Twisted Tea
Uncharted Cider
Upslope
Utah Brewers Cooperative
Wild Cider

Plus more than a dozen imports featured in the International Beer Garden!

Here are the returning brewers that you enjoyed last year, and get to enjoy again this year!




21st Amendment    
Abita
Anderson Valley    
Austin Beerworks
Big Sky
Blue Moon
Bohemian
Boulder Beer
Breckenridge





 

DC Brau                 Four Peaks              Fort George            GoodLife

Goose Island           Grand Canyon        Joseph James          Kona
Leinenkugel            Lumberyard            Marble                     Maui
Mudshark                New Belgium        NOLA                     Oskar Blues
Prescott                    Redhook               Sam Adams             Santa Fe
SanTan                    Shock Top             Sierra Nevada          Ska
Snake River             Sun King               TailGate Beer          Tallgrass
Two Brothers          Uinta                      Widmer                   Woodchuck


If you get hungry, there will also be 6 food trucks there......

Grilled Cheese Truck
Brat Haus
Carte Blanche Tacos
The Traveling Monk
Arizona BBQ Club
Honey Bear’s BBQ 

SanTan Brewing Company will cater the VIP zone.

If that isn't enough to get you there, then I am sorry, there is nothing more I can do for you!

James Swann and I saying hello at last years festival....

Festival info...

Date. Saturday May 17th
Time: 1pm to 6 pm (VIP entry opens at 12pm)
Location:
Scottsdale Civic Center
3939 North Drinkwater Boulevard
Scottsdale, AZ 85251








Tickets are $35 presale, that includes a souvenir can and 20 four-ounce pours!

VIP tickets are $100, and include admission one hour early, a souvenir can, 20 four-ounce pours, catered food, a private VIP zone with private restrooms and exclusive specialty beer sampling!

Get presale tickets here.....

This is a 21 and over event, no exceptions, so leave the rug rats at home.

For more on this festival, check out the official release with more info here....

Check out the official website here for hotel and cab info, and other helpful stuff....

I will be there, and I really hope to see you there as well! If you go, by all means, look for me, and say hello, and introduce yourself if we've never met, I would love to meet you!


Until next time
Bottoms up my friends!

The Beer Czar